Other important documents used in export business are briefly explained as under:
Commercial Invoice
It is one of the most important document issued by the seller in the standardised format. The invoice is usually made out for the full realisable amount of goods as per trade term, the exception being the undrawn balance which is shown as deduction from the full amount.
If the export documents are drawn under L/C, unless otherwise stated in L/C, commercial invoice must be made out in the name of the applicant for the credit and the description of the goods in the commercial invoice must correspond with the description in the credit. Similarly, it should be noted that unless otherwise stipulated in the credit, banks may refuse commercial invoice issued for amount in excess of the amount permitted by the credit.
The invoice should be strictly according to the contract of sale and should be on the paper of the seller and must be signed by him or by the person acting on his behalf.
Consular Invoice
Consular Invoice is a document required mainly by the Latin American countries like, Kenya , Uganda , Tanzania , Mauritius , New Zealand , Burma , Iraq , Australia , Fiji , Cyprus , Nigeria , Ghana
A consular invoice is required to be prepared in a prescribed format and it should be signed/certified by the consul of the importing country located in the country of export. The main purpose of a consular invoice is to enable the importer’s country to collect accurate and authenticated information about the value, volume, quality, source etc. of the import for assessing import duties and for other statistical purposes. It helps the importer to get cleared the goods through the customs without any undue delay. The consular invoice forms are generally available at the importing country’s consuls and is certified against payment of some fees.
Consular invoices should be made in multiple copies as per the buyer’s requirements.
Customs Invoice
Countries like U.S.A.
Legalised/Visaed Invoice
These are the invoices sworn for their genuineness by the seller as being correct before the appropriate consulate/chamber of commerce/embassy as the case may be and they bear the stamp and authentication of the consulate/chamber of commerce/embassy as being in order. A nominal charge is collected by them from the seller for doing this. These invoices are required by some of the Latin American countries. There is no prescribed from of this invoice.
Certified Invoice
At times exporter is called upon to certify on the invoice that the goods are of particular origin or manufactured/packed at a particular place and in accordance with specific contract. When certificate as such appear on the invoice it is called as a certified invoice.
Bill of Exchange/Draft
A bill of exchange also known as draft contains an order from the creditor to the debtor to pay a specified amount to a person mentioned therein. The maker of a bill is called the “drawer”, the person who is directly to pay is called the “drawee”. The person who is entitled to receive payment is called the “payee”.
When it is drawn on a foreign firm it is termed as a foreign draft or bill of exchange. It is prepared either in an international currency or Indian rupees depending on the terms of contract. According, the bill is known by the name of currency in which it is drawn. For example, a bill drawn in US dollars is known a ‘Dollar Bill’ and when prepared in rupees, being termed as ‘Rupees Bill’.
When the goods are shipped by sea, the bills are drawn in sets and two sets of documents including drafts are mailed to the foreign correspondent through an authorised dealer for presentation to the drawee (importer). Each one bears a reference to the other.
A bill of exchange or draft is of two types : (I) ‘Sight Draft’ or ‘Draft at Sight’ and (II) Usance Draft or Usance Bill.
When the drawer i.e. exporter expects the drawee i.e. importer to make payment immediately after the draft presented to him, it is called a ‘Sight Draft’. Unless and until the draft is retired, the negotiating/collecting bank does not hand over the shipping document and the buyer cannot take delivery of goods.
Where the exporter has agreed to give credit to the foreign buyer, he draws a ‘Usance Bill’ i.e. draft is drawn for payment at a date later than the date of presentation. A draft may be drawn according to the period of credit such as 30 days sight, 60 days sight and so on, implying thereby, that the drawee i.e. importer is to retire the draft 30 days or 60 days or as the case may be, after it is presented to the drawee who will retire it by writing upon it “Accepted” with his signature and date. Thereafter, the documents are handed over to him enabling him to take the delivery of goods.
As there is no aligned document for draft, the same can be prepared by the exporter in the usual format.
Packing List
It is a list showing details of goods contained in each parcel/shipment. It shows item-by-item the content of the containers or parcels shipped to enable the buyer/receiver of the shipment to check the shipment. Packing list has to be prepared in the aligned document form.
Certificate of Inspection
Inspection certificate, indicating that goods have been inspected before shipment is needed under some contracts or by some countries. This certificate is generally required to be issued by one of the authorised independent inspection agencies/surveyors in the exporter’s country. The certificate issued in the aligned document form.
Black List Certificate
This is to certify that the ship/aircraft carrying the goods has not touched a particular country on its journey or that the goods are not of a particular country. This certificate is usually called for where countries have strained political relations with another.
Weight Note
This document is used to confirm that the packets/bales etc. are of a particular weight and not more than the stipulated weight as per contract. It may at times give the gross weight and net weight of the whole consignment.
Manufacturer’s/Supplier’s Quality/Inspection Certificate
This is a certificate to the effect that the goods which have been manufactured/supplied as per the requirement of the contract of sale.
GSP Certificate/Certificate of Origin
The EEC member Countries have adopted the Generalised System of Preferences. Under GSP, manufacturers and semi-manufacturers from developing countries including India
The Govt. of India has authorised the Export Inspection Council of India and its various agencies to issue the Certificate of Origin. The Export Promotion Offices at Bombay , Calcutta , Madras and Cochin
Languages Certificate
Importers in the European Economic Community Countries requires a Languages Certificate along with the GSP Certificate in respect of handloom cotton fabrics classifiable under NEMEX Code 55.09. Indian exporters should apply for this certificate simultaneously or separately with the GSP Certificate and application for pre-shipment inspection. The Language Certificate is issued in quadruplicate, three copies of which are given to the exporter. He should transmit one copy to his overseas importer, along with the documents for realisation of export proceeds.
The Language Certificate is issued by the Textile Committee against a small fee.
Manufacturer’s Certificate
In addition to the Certificate of Origin, some countries requires a manufacturer’s certificate to the effect that goods shipped have actually been manufactured and are available.
Certificate of Chemical Analysis
To ensure that the quality and grade of items like metallic ores, pigments, etc. is the same as specified in the sale contract, importers may require the exporters to send a certificate of chemical analysis from a recognised analyst.
Certificate of Shipment
Certificate of shipping agent that a certain lot of goods have been shipped.
Health/Veterinary/Sanitary Certificates
When the goods that are exported are foodstuffs, marine products, hide, livestock etc., usually depending upon the goods which are being imported, a certificate from he health/veterinary/sanitary authorities is called for by the overseas buyers. This is because the importer desires to know if the goods are fit for human consumption.
Certificate of conditioning
Certificate issued by a competent office in which, on the basis of the ascertained humidity factor, the dry weight of wool or silk is reckoned and certified.
Antiquity Certificate
Freight can be charged either on the basis of weight or measurement. When it is charged on weight basis, the weight declared by exporter is accepted. However, certificate of measurement from the Indian Chamber of Commerce or any other approved organisation may be obtained by the exporter and given to the shipping company for calculation of necessary freight. This certificate contains the name of vessel, the port of destination, description of goods, quantity, length, breadth, depth etc. of packages.
Transshipment Bill
This document is used for goods imported into a customs port/airport intended for transshipment.
Transshipment Permit
The Transshipment Permit is the permission for transshipment of goods from the vessel on which the same are booked originally to another for export.
Shipping Order
Shipping Order is issued by the Shipping (Conference) Line intimating the exporter about the reservation of space of shipment of cargo through a particular vessel from a specified port and on a specified date.
Cart/Lorry Ticket
This ticket is prepared for admittance of cargo through the port gate. This is also known as ‘Vehicle Ticket or Gate Pass
Shut Out Advice
It is statement of packages shut out by a ship and is prepared by the shed concerned and sent to the exporter showing the particulars of packages, for disposal arrangement.
Short Shipment Form
Short shipment form is an application to the customs authorities at port advising the short shipment of goods and for calming the return of the duty and/or cess paid on such short shipping gods.
Shipping Advice
A shipping advice is used to inform the overseas customer about the shipment of goods. The shipping advice is prepared in aligned document. The exporter only advise his importer about the invoice number, bill of lading/airway bill number and date, name of the vessel with date, the port of export, description of goods and quantity and the date of sailing of the vessels.
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